(WSVN) - When people are looking for a job, they usually send out résumés, but a Fort Lauderdale man decided to take a sky-high approach to his job hunt, and it got attention around the world. 7’s Kevin Ozebek has more in today’s 7 Spotlight.
It was the perfect day for a sky dive.
What started as a way to let off steam after losing his job turned into a creative moment that changed Chris Serrano’s life.
Chris works in advertising and loves thinking outside the box.
So instead of sending out résumés, he made an “Open 4 Work” sign and took the ultimate plunge.
His free fall was just one of his great ideas. So was posting the video and his availability on LinkedIn, the professional networking site.
Chris Serrano: “I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew that people would be shocked by it, but I didn’t know people would be super shocked.”
His idea took off and gained altitude in a way he never expected.
Chris Serrano: “I woke up the next morning to 2 million impressions and a bunch of feedback. Job offers around the world.”
One of those job offers came from a startup company in Manchester, England.
Jack Peagam, CEO of Linkup: “I thought it was amazing.”
Jack Peagam is the CEO of Linkup, a new social networking app.
Jack Peagam: “I was just, you know, normal day, scrolling through LinkedIn as you do, and I stumbled upon Chris’ post, and I saw it, and I was like, ‘Wow. OK, that’s cool,’ and I need to jump on that ’cause I’m also looking for a creative director, so the stars were aligned.”
Jack flew to the Canary Islands. It’s the closest place to Manchester with weather good enough for skydiving.
Jack Peagam: “I can’t just message him and say, ‘Hey, let’s have a chat.’ I’ve got to respond in an equally as epic way as him, so that’s exactly what I did.”
Jack took his job offer to new heights. The banner he is seen holding reads, “Hey, Chris, sorry 2 see you got laid off. We’ve got work 4 u. Let’s link up.”
Chris says he couldn’t believe it.
Chris Serrano: “I was like, ‘Oh, my God.’ I thought that what I did was crazy and far out, and somebody matched my energy. And it was pretty impressive.”
While Chris plans his jump into a brand-new career with Linkup, he says getting laid off has taught him something new about life and about looking for a new job.
Chris Serrano: “Be different. We’re living in a time right now where people are getting laid off every day, but sometimes you don’t know the doors that are open for you. You really just have to do what you love and put yourself out there, and somebody will notice if you’re doing what you love.”
And getting noticed makes all the difference in having a soft landing in today’s job market.
Kevin Ozebek, 7News.
Chris and Jack are meeting in person next week in Los Angeles.
If there’s someone or something you think we should feature, send us an email at 7spotlight@wsvn.com.
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